HC Deb 19 February 1957 vol 565 cc39-40W
56. Mr. Langford-Holt

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the national income has been spent by the Central Government of the United Kingdom during each of the last five years.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

The percentages are as follows:

1951 31.9
1952 31.6
1953 30.6
1954 28.1
1955 27.3

Central Government expenditure includes current and capital expenditure on goods and services and all subsidies, grants, interest payments and other transfers to local authorities, the National Insurance Funds and other sections of the community; it excludes expenditure by the National Insurance Funds. The figures are expressed as percentages of the gross national product, and are defined as in National Income and Expenditure, 1956.

57. Mr. Langford-Holt

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the national income has been spent by local authorities in the United Kingdom during each of the last five years.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

The percentages are as follows:

1951 9.6
1952 10.0
1953 10.2
1954 9.9
1955 9.6

Part of this expenditure is financed by grants from the Central Government, and was therefore included in the figures of Central Government expenditure stated in my reply to Question No. 56. Excluding such expenditure, the percentages are:

1951 6.9
1952 7.2
1953 7.4
1954 7.1
1955 6.7

In this reply, expenditure of local authorities includes current and capital expenditure on goods and services, and all subsidies, grants, interest payments and other transfers. The figures are expressed as percentages of the gross national product and are defined as in National Income and Expenditure, 1956.